The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making belt loops, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus for automatically cutting the belt loop material in preselected lengths and for locating and removing splices in the belt loop material.
In the manufacture of trousers and similar garments, belt loops are frequently provided at spaced intervals around the waist band of the garment. Typically, belt loops are formed on a length of interfacing material with scrap cloth matching the trousers wrapped thereabout. The cloth is attached to the interfacing either by adhesive or by sewing. The interfacing is supplied in continuous lengths and shorter lengths of cloth are wrapped and attached thereto to form "loop strings". It is apparent that numerous splices will be present along the length of the loop string where pieces of the cloth material abut. The individual belt loops can be, for example, up to 11/4 inches wide, cut into lengths of from about 1 to about 3 inches. The individual loops are cut from the loop string and the splices are removed and discarded.
The apparatus heretofore most often utilized in carrying out the cutting of the individual belt loop lengths from the loop string includes a cutter adapted to cut the loop string into predetermined lengths. Segments having splices therein are manually sorted from the belt loop lengths and discarded. It will be appreciated that during this process, substantial amounts of labor are involved.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other problems long since associated with the prior art to provide an apparatus which automatically cuts the loop string into predetermined lengths and removes and discards the splices from the loop string.
In accordance with a more specific aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises an input portion which directs the loop string into a metering and trimming portion. The metering and trimming portion automatically cuts the loop string to a predetermined belt loop length and locates and removes the splices from the loop string.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a belt loop trimming apparatus is provided having an input portion and a metering and trim portion. The input portion has rollers which engage an incoming continuous loop string. A dancer roller is mounted to form a vertical loop in the string to store material for the metering and trim portion. The loop string enters the metering and trim portion where it consecutively engages and is fed by a pair of vertically spaced driven rollers. The spaced rollers are commonly driven by a motor through a clutch/brake. An idler roller compresses the loop string against the second driven roller to positively move the loop string. A rotary encoder connected to the second driven roller operates through electronic circuitry to control the operation of a cutter to sever the loop string into belt loop lengths. A movable plate deflects the belt loop lengths into a container.
A splice sensor is positioned between two driven rollers to sense the presence of splices in the loop string material and in turn operate the cutter and plate to cut the splices from the string and sort the splices from the belt loop lengths. The loop sensor has a movable foot which contacts the loop string. The foot has a reflective surface adjacent one end positioned to extend under the material of the splices. A lamp/photosensor directs a beam of light onto and receives light reflected from the reflective surface. The presence of a splice is sensed by interrupting the beam of light when the reflective surface of the foot extends under the splice. A pneumatic cylinder is connected to the foot to retract the foot from under the splice material.